A photoelectric conversion device that has a photoelectric conversion element with an organic compound layer interposed between a pair of electrodes formed on a substrate has been proposed. Examples of the photoelectric conversion element include an organic electroluminescence device (referred to as organic EL device hereinafter) and an organic thin-film solar cell element. The organic EL device is an element for converting electricity to light. The organic thin-film solar cell element is an element for converting light into electricity.
Performance (e.g. element lifetime) of such a photoelectric conversion element is greatly influenced by water and air. Thus, a sealing structure for protecting the photoelectric conversion element from water and air has been studied.
For instance, an organic electroluminescence emitting device (referred to an organic EL emitting device hereinafter) disclosed in Patent Literature 1 for a display panel includes: a transparent substrate on which an organic electroluminescence emitting laminate (referred to as an organic EL emitting laminate hereinafter) is formed; a metal frame attached to a periphery of the transparent substrate; and a metal protection cover attached to the metal frame so as to cover the organic EL emitting laminate. The organic EL emitting device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 is electrically connected with an external device through a hole provided to the transparent substrate.
However, since the organic EL emitting device disclosed in Patent Literature 1 requires a number of portions to be bonded (e.g. between the transparent substrate and the metal frame and between the metal frame and the metal protection cover), it is likely that these portions are not sufficiently bonded, resulting in insufficient sealing of the organic EL emitting laminate.
Further, since an electrical connection terminal and an electrode of the organic EL emitting laminate are connected via the through-hole formed to the transparent substrate, a luminous area cannot be enlarged.
Patent Literature 1 also discloses another embodiment of an organic EL emitting device, in which the through-hole is not provided to the transparent substrate. In this embodiment, the electric connection terminal is exposed in a direction parallel to the surface of the transparent substrate. However, when a plurality of the organic EL emitting devices are to be mutually adjacently disposed in this embodiment, the electric connection terminals of the adjacent organic EL emitting devices interfere with each other. Thus, the organic EL emitting devices cannot be adjacently disposed with a narrow gap between the organic EL emitting devices.
In answer to the above disadvantages, Patent Literature 2 discloses a structure in which an output electrode and an organic EL device are electrically connected with each other through a connection spacer interposed therebetween. In Patent Literature 2, the output electrode extends from a surface (backside of a display panel) of a sealing plate opposite to a surface facing the organic EL device to a side face of the sealing plate and an end of the output electrode (an end near a transparent electrode) is bent inward to be extended to between the sealing plate and the connection spacer. The connection spacer is provided by electrically conductive microspheres coated with an electrically insulative resin and the like.
With the above structure, it is stated that, even when a plurality of display panels are adjacently disposed, joints between display panels become less recognizable.